Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 18:1-46 — God shows himself to be the only true God in Israel, by calling coming down in fire making His presence known & felt. Map: Where this all plays out in Israel. Other titles: Classic Showdown. My Bovine is on Fire. Blazing Beef. Blazing Saddles. 850 to 1. Waterproof but not Fireproof. Taking the bull by the horns. I settled with, How to Set a Wet Bull on Fire. ELIJAH & OBADIAH (1-16) (5) Ahab seemed to care more for his royal livestock than his people. Let me say this about Obadiah.

Psalms 94:1-23 — wilderness for 40 years to learn how to trust God’s timing & method. (4-7) The wicked have a false confidence. Do they think God is dumber than we are? They fancy they can do as they like because God remains quiet. But see Ps.50:17-21. “It is not the severity of punishment that acts as a deterrent. It is its inevitability.” John Endsley (8-11) The Lord knows. He sees what’s going on in this world. He hears the cries of His own

Psalms 96:1-13 — because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, for His eye is on the sparrow, & I know He watches me!” Civilla Martin, who wrote the lyrics to this hymn, said this about her inspiration to write the song. Early in the spring of 1905, my hus-band and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle - true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her hus-band was an incurable cripple

Leviticus 4:1-35 — SIN OFFERING! (1-35) It’s purpose: (2) To atone for sins committed “unintentionally” or unknowingly, especially where no restitution was possible. The sin offering was for unintentional sins of ignorance & not for deliberate sins of disobedience. For

Song of Solomon 2:1-17 — “You’re like a Lily among a bunch of thorns!” ​​​​​​​The daughters say, “Hey, wait a minute?” (3) She compliments him in a similar way. Out of 117 verses of this song 55 are clearly her speaking, & another 19 are probably hers. It is the responsibility of both to be romantic & “Say it w/Love!” She said, “Solomon compared to others…you win hands down.” Ladies

Isaiah 30:1-33 — want? Trusting in….? (1-12) A 3rd woe is pronounced on Judah for their rebellion against the Lord. They trusted more in their diplomacy (their skill & tact in dealing with other people). Confidence in….! (1-5) “Confidence is keeping your chin up; overconfidence is sticking your neck out.” Q: How could Israel go back to their old slave masters Egypt who would be useless? Q: As a new Christian did you ever go back to

Isaiah 54 overview — Israel temporarily abandoned by God. (i.e. in Babylon) Look at all the reasons why we should not fear in 4-10. Forget the shame, not remember the reproach(4); God as your Husband, His Name is Lord of Hosts, your Redeemer, God of all the earth(5); called you(6); great mercies, will gather(7); everlasting kindness, mercy(8); he has sworn, not angry w/U, nor rebuke you(9); kindness not depart, cov of peace not removed(10). The Rainbow of Peace Shines Again! (7-10) The storm is over,

Jeremiah 18:1-23 — times the Lord puts a squeeze on our finances or something to get our attention. I heard sometimes a potter has to beat on the clay w/a wooden mallet to get all the bubbles out of the clay…Apply that! God Fashions Clay! (5-10) Vs.6 - We are not in the hands of an invisible force but in the hands of a person, Almighty God! {Clay cannot mold itself} Rom.9:19-21 “You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?"

Jeremiah 26:1-24 — prophets preached what the people Wanted to hear; Jeremiah preached what the people Needed to hear! Vs.4 - The main message is from 4-6. The emphasis is on hearing the word of God! “Listen, turn(3); listen, walk(4); heed(5).” Vs.6 – Shiloh – Q: What do you know…about Shiloh? The Religious epi-center for Israel from: just into the land(Joshua 18) to 1 Sam 4 event. Tabernacle set up here(no more wandering) Joshua,

Jeremiah 3:1-25 — world!" They just didn’t get it! Sometimes God has to shake people out of their complacency! Sometimes He has to take then out…just with His great Grace! We’ll see which was He does. THE QUESTION! (1-5) God uses the analogy of the Marriage again, but now introduces the subject of Divorce & administers the use of a stun gun from the Law Book!… Deut.24:1-4. Maybe this is from the scroll that Hilkiah the high priest had just found. (2

Jeremiah 32:1-44 — Intro: I’ll sell you some “Swamp land” in Israel? (said the Muslims to Jews) The Jews bought up the land in the early 50’s in northern Israel. Planted Eucalyptuses, they sucked up all the water, then cut them down & sold the wood. Here’s a “real-Deal” for Jeremiah! HAVE I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU! (1-7) The Setting! The Date

Jeremiah 36:1-32 — Intro: Here we have the book that wouldn’t die! In music we have a tuning fork known as “A –440”(440 vibrations per second) – It always has been, & always will be (5000 yrs. From now it will still be the same pitch it will not change! Ignorance of Gods word: “A few years ago, a test of Bible knowledge was given to five classes of high school seniors. Most of them failed the exam completely!Some were

Lamentations 4:1-22 — of contrasts of how Zion was vs. how it is now! ZION, BEFORE & AFTER! (1-12) Vs.1,2 - The greatest destruction from sin is not to buildings but to people! (2) In God’s sight, His people had been like Gold & precious gems. Ex.19:5,6 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Now

Ezekiel 36:1-38 — PURIFIED OR PETRIFIED? (Ch.36) These prophecies were not fulfilled in 586bc when they returned from Babylon. Israel’s glorious conversion & repopulation of the land. But 1st they needed to be regenerated in a spiritual sense. (9) I am for you – If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom.8:31) I

Ezekiel 39:1-29 — someone?” But I realized there’s nothing contingent on the “blesser” or the “blessee”! But from “Him…from whom all blessings flow”! God is always in charge of blessings! (Balaam in Deut.23:5) Nevertheless the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. The COMMAND to Bless! (23) This was a divinely appointed liturgy

Hosea 4:1-19 — says, “It doesn’t matter who or what you worship, as long as you have something/someone to believe in”? Here we have a court scene were God seems to be the Bailiff, Plaintiff, Witness, prosecuting Attorney, & Judge. ALL RISE! (1-5) (1,2) DEPRAVITY! (moral) Order in the court: Hear the word of the Lord! - God starts off by being the Bailiff, calling the court to order! Charges brought: Next the Lord dons His lawyer’s gown, & brings a charge(lit. a legal complaint)against

Numbers 20:1-29 — Pharaoh & his army; then Miriam kicked in with the ladies singing a response with a timbrel in her hand. When Miriam challenged Moses leadership(ch.12) & she became leprous for her rebellion & Moses had to plead for her life & health. (2-5) Israel needed water, wished they were dead, hated the desert, & wished they were back in Egypt. (3) In the will of God no place is an “evil place”; but when your inner desires are not spiritual, no place is a good place - except Egypt! (Warren

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 — Intro: Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), the world-famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn’t able to buy it. Later, having raised enough

Revelation 20:7-15 — is a further revelation of the glories of the Messiah. It reveals the deep-seated problem in the human heart. (i.e. mans problem isn’t primarily with Satan, or a sinful environment, but his own heart.) THY KINGDOM CAME! (7-15) SATAN RESTRAINED! (1,2) One angel is all it took (not even Jesus, nor an arch-angel, was needed) Antichrist & false prophet are gone. Satan bound, life should be sweet. But even in the best environments choices still need to be made.

Revelation 3:1-6 — Lydia. - It was a center for Trade(wool, dyeing) - It was a Military Center. It was characterized by a loose/luxurious lifestyle. It was located on an almost innacessible plateau. - Its Acropolis, w/its nearly perpendicular rock walls, was about 1500’ above the main roads which formed an impregnable fortress on all but the south side.  Excavations unearthed a Roman Theater, a Stadium, a Temple dedicated to Artemis(not Artemis Gordon/w.w.west)(160’x130’) - It had 78 Ionic